"Don was a member of our Chick-fil-A family for nearly 29 years. For many of you in the media, he was the spokesperson for Chick-fil-A. He was a well-respected and well-liked media executive in the Atlanta and University of Georgia communities, and we will all miss him."

The statement said Perry died suddenly. No reason was given.

According to Reuters, Perry was a native of rural Valdosta, Ga., and graduated from the University of Georgia in 1974. He joined Chick-fil-A in 1983 to launch the company's PR department.

"My expression routinely is 'there are no dull days,'" he told Georgia Magazinein a profile in June. "You just don't know what's going to happen moment to moment." (h/t Reuters)

Perry's death comes as Chick-fil-A finds itself in a firestorm of controversy over comments made by its president, Dan Cathy, over the privately owned company's opposition to gay marriage. Gay-rights groups called for a boycott and a politician said Chick-fil-A wasn't welcome in his city, but Christian groups have supported the company.